Battle of Ballyshannon (1247)
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Battle of Ballyshannon (1247) | |||||||
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Part of Norman Conquest of Ireland | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Kingdom of Tyrone Kingdom of Tyrconnell Kingdom of the Isles | Lordship of Ireland | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Melaghlin O'Donnell Roderick MacRanald † |
Maurice FitzGerald William de Brit † Cormac O'Conor | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown |
The Battle of Ballyshannon (
The Annals of the Four Masters describes the battle as follows:
A great army was led by Maurice Fitzgerald, and the other English chiefs, first to
When the English saw that the attention of the Kinel-Connell was directed towards the cavalry who had advanced on their rear, they rushed across the ford against them, being confident that they the Kinel-Connell would not be able to attend to the attacks of both. The Kinel-Connell were now in the very centre of their enemies, who had surrounded them on every side. O'Donnell was slain on the spot, as well as the Cammhuinealach Wry-necked
The
A great hosting by Maurice Fitz-Gerald, and the foreigners along with him, until they reached Sligech in the first instance, and from thence to Es-Ruaidh-mic-Badhuirn, on the Wednesday after the festival of Paul and Peter; and Cormac, son of Diarmaid, son of Ruaidhri O'Conchobhair, went there in his host and muster.
O'Domhnaill assembled the Cenel-Conaill and Cenel-Eoghain to meet him at Bel-atha-Senaigh, so that they allowed neither Foreigners nor Gaeidhel to cross the ford during the space of a whole week; when they determined that Cormac O'Conchobhair should go, with a large force of cavalry, eastwards along the plain, and then turn upwards through the plain by the margin of the bog; and he then proceeded eastwards along the river until he reached Ath-Chuil-uaine on the Erne. And the Cenel-Conaill observed nothing until they saw them approaching on their own side of the river. And when the Foreigners perceived the Cenel-Conaill watching the cavalry in their rear, they themselves rushed across the ford, so that the Cenel-Conaill were placed between both divisions.
O'Domhnall was defeated, with his army; and Maelsechlainn O'Domhnaill, king of Cenel-Conaill, was slain there; and the Gilla-muinélach O'Baoidhill, and Mac Somhairle, king of Airer-Gaeidhel, and the nobles of the Cenel-Conaill besides, were slain. And many of Fitz-Gerald's army were drowned going northwards across the Finn and many of the same army were slain at Termann-Dabheog, in pursuit of the preys, including William Brit, i.e. the sheriff of Connacht, and a young armed knight who was his brother. However, the entire country was afterwards devastated and plundered by them; and they left the sovereignty of Cenel-Conaill with Ruaidhri O'Canannain on this occasion.
References
- Annals of the Four Masters (Vol. 3, AD 1172–1372: original and translation
- Annals of Lough Cé (first part, AD 1014–1348): original and translation